Flushing and draining mechanism for automatic washing machines



E. J. BRAUN June 13, 1961 FLUSHING AND DRAINING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES Filed March 9, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 N H H h m MwNJI W ///////MW///////////// /////M/ W INVENTOR ZMM. LZ EAU/V ATTORNEYS E. J. BRAUN June 13, 1961 FLUSHING AND DRAINING MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES Filed March 9, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m r hwN h INVENTOR ZI /ll. BRAl/AL ATTORNEYS ,1 2,987,905 FLUSHING AND DRAINING MECHANISM FOR AUTDMATIQ WASHING MACHINES Emil J. Braun, Valley City, N. Dak. (7633 Penn Ave. S., Minneapolis 23, Minn.) Filed Mar. 9, 1959, Ser. No. 798,059 9 Claims. (Cl. 68-208) This invention has relation to automatic washing machines in which a rotating perforated cylinder is mounted inside of a washer tub. In a device made according to the present invention, the conventional sump and drain pump assembly are replaced with a gravity flow flush and drain mechanism of special design. This mechanism includes an inclined closed drain passageway of relatively large minimum cross sectional area at a point immediately adjacent the bottom of the tub to'which it is connected and of increasingly larger cross sectional area in direction of discharge of used wash water along said drain passageway. A discharge control gate is situated at the end of this drain passageway and is normally spring pressed into sealing relationship with an outer end of said passageway. Opening of this discharge control gate is accomplished through the instrumentality of a solenoid which, in conventional installations before the present invention, was used to control the operation of the drain pump.

In present day automatic washing machines, it is common practice to utilize a sump and screen arrangement in an attempt to capture foreign articles passing out of the bottom of the wash tub and a centrifugal pump or the like to draw this water from the bottom of the tub to drain. The screen was, of course, necessary to try to prevent damage to the impeller blades of the pump which would result if foreign objects (such as pencils, pens, lipstick holders, bobby pins, etc. all of which are many times deposited in washers with the clothing) were to pass into the bottom of the tub and from there into the pump. This screen, however, naturally had the elfeet of also retarding discharge of lint and suds from the machine and of cutting down the volume of water flow so that good clean-out of suds and lint could not be obtained on the drain cycle of the washer. A typical discharge time for such an automatic washer of the home variety is 30 seconds when it is in relative good working order.

Because of this relatively long drain time and relatively slow draining of the contents of the washing machine, the suds in the water and the lint entrained therewith are not drawn down far enough in the tub to clear the rotating perforated cylinder therein. By action of gravity and by the relative rotation of the perforated cylinder with respect to the tub, lint and suds located between the end wall of the tube and the end wall of the perforated rotating cylinder, in a washer employing a cylinder rotating on a horizontal axis, cause this lint to form into a rope which is necessarily carried around the axle of the rotating cylinder and becomes forcibly entwined thereon. This rope of lint and other foreign particles originally entrained in the suds can and more often does force open the seal between the rotating cylinder and the bearing supporting the cylinder axle. Once this seal is broken, and water from the washer gets into the bearing, it is only a matter of time before the bearing breaks down and the washer is put out of commission.

By centrifugal action all suds and lint remaining on or in the rotating cylinder and the clothes therein are spun off of the outside of the rotating cylinder and through the perforations from inside of the cylinder to be driven against the inner wall of the tube when the cylinder rotates at high speed during the drying operation. Lint and other foreign materials deposited in this manneron the tub form an insoluble layer which can greatly impair the efliciency of the washer.

The mechanism of the present invention was designed to eliminate both the difliculty occuring when all foreign objects in the washer tub are not flushed from the tub at the end of each drain cycle; and the difliculty which is encountered when the suds and lint and other foreign particles entrained therewith are not drawn down and out of the tub or at least drawn down to position below the rotating cylinder.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism whereby the elapsed time on the drain cycle of an auomatic washer can be substantially reduced. A washer having a typical drain discharge time of 30 seconds as previously constructed has been found to have a drain time of 10 seconds.

Automatic washers of the type in question are almost invariably installed over fixed cement floors so that the vertical distance below the washer tub is necessarily limited. A device made according to the present invention utilizes a full flow of discharging fluid through an inclined drain pipe of ever increasing cross-sectional area to effectively increase the head available for inducing flow out of the tub. By utilizing this relatively large discharge conduit in such a manner as to insure full pipe flow until the damaging materials and suds are below the danger points, the apparatus of the present invention makes use of the entire height of the water inside of the tube in inducing flow in the drain pipe.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a rear elevational view of an automatic washer incorporating the present flushing and draining mechanism therein with parts in section and parts broken away;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the washer of FIG. 1 with parts in section and parts broken away;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional viewtaken on the line 3-3 in FIG. 1 and showing a discharge contro gate in closed position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view also taken on the line 3-3- in FIG. 1, but showing the discharge control gate in open position;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7-7 in FIG. 6.

Referring to the drawings and the numerals of reference thereon, an automatic washing machine is indicated generally at 10 and includes a stationary wash tub 11 and a rotatable perforated cylinder 12 mounted in said tub about an axle 13. This cylinder 12 is rotated in any usual or preferred manner by a washer motor 46, a motor pulley 47, drive belt 48- and cylinder pulley 49 keyed to the axle 13'. The wash tub 11 is provided with a drain opening 14 at the bottom thereof.

A flush and drain mechanism 15 includes a closed drain passageway 16, an outwardly and inwardly extending flange 17, a discharge trough 18, a pair of upstanding gate pivot ears 19, and solenoid supporting bosses 20. The closed drain passageway 16 is provided with side walls 21, 21 and top and bottom walls 22 and 23, respec: tively, all diverging outwardly from a throat A of minimum cross-sectional dimension (for example in a typical installation this could be 3% square inches) to a position B (which could be 7 square inches in cross sectional dimension). A gate seal flange 24 extends around three sides of the outer end portion of the drain passageway 16 to somewhat constrict the cross sectional area of the passageway. For example, the effective area open through this flange could be 5% square inches. It is to be noted aes'aeos that the :efiective area for the passage of water .out of the drain passageway 16 will be substantially greater than the area of the throat A at the entrance thereof. Inner surfaces 25 f the sidewall .21 are flared smoothly into this flange area as indicated at 26. Likewise, the inner surface '27 of the upper Wall 22 is similarly flared into the flange 24 as indicated at 28.

As disclosed, the exit from the closed drain passageway 16 as defined by the flange 24 is set at a 45 degree angle. A step 29 is provided in the bottom wall 23 of the'passageway .16 at position in the same plane with the three sided gate seal flange 24. This step is integral with a bottom wall 30 of the open discharge trough 18. The outwardly facing surface of the step 29 and corresponding surface of the flange 24 terminate in a single plane indicated 31 on FIG. 6. A discharge control gate 32 includes a gasket 33 of relatively soft and spongy material. For example, sponge rubber has been found to work well as the gasket material. Discharge control gate 32 is pivotally mounted as at 34 on the gate pivot ears 19, and a spring 35 normally urges this gate into sealing relationship with the plane surface 31 of the flange 24 and the step 29. A solenoid 36 is mounted on the solenoid supporting bosses 20, and is connected by an adjustable link 37 with an upstanding arm 38 integral with and extending outwardly from the discharge control gate 32.

This solenoid is connected into the automatic control circuit of the washer by the wires 39, 39'. The control system forms no part of the present invention, it being sufiicient to say that the solenoid will be energized at the same time as would be the centrifugal drain pump of a conventional Washer which the present drain'mechanism replaces. In fact, :in actual practice, the solenoid 36 is simply removed from the drain pump motor and placed on the solenoid supporting bosses of the drain mechanism when washers are converted from conventional draining structure to structure of the present invention.

One of the .side walls 21 of the drain passageway 16 is provided with an opening :therethrough into which is inserted a water level control pipe 40. Thiswater level control pipe forms no part of the present invention, and performs the function of controlling the height of wash water 41in the tub 11 in any usual or preferred manner. The opening through side wall 21 simply affords a convenient allocation for attaching this control.

Operation The automatic washer of the present invention will perform its fill and wash operations in the usual manner. This will result in the production of considerable quantity ofsuds 4-2 which will tend to appear on the upper surface of the wash water 41. As the cylinder 12 rotates in clockwise direction as seen in FIG. 1, this suds will tend to carry over the top of the cylinder. When the washing cycle has been completed, the solenoid 36 will be en- 'ergized to cause the discharge control gate 32 to be opened to position as seen in FIG. 4. Wash water 41 will then begin immediately to pass out of the closed drain passageway 16 and will pass through discharge trough 18 to drain pipes 43 located exteriorly of the washer. The design of the passageway 16'is such that no air will enter said passageway during discharge flow. In other words a condition of full pipe flow will exist. This full pipe flow through the expanding drain passageway will proceed at a rate commensurate with the head of water existing in the tub plus the effective increasein that head due to change of'energy form of the wash water necessarily incident to the reduction in velocity caused by the increase in cross-sectional area of the discharge passageway. This high rate of discharge flow causes a very rapid lowering of the wash water level in the tub 11. This tub l'evel lowering is so rapid, in fact, that the tub level will be "substantially below the level of water inside of the perforated cylinder *12 because of the restriction to water .flow caused by this cylinder and by the presence of clothes rotating inside of it. Initial flow of water inside of the cylinder will be of a falling away nature with respect to the clothes and the suds in the cylinder will pass through the perforations and out to the area between the cylinder and the tub.

With the beginning of the drain operation, the cylinder in many automatic washers will be caused to rotate at a substantially higher speed to spin the wash water from the clothing and out of the cylinder. In the case of a washer having a cylinder spinning on a vertical axis, the suds between the cylinder and tub tend to be carried by the action of the rapidly rotating cylinder clear around with the cylinder to position adjacent and above the drain opening 14 where said suds will be discharged from the washer with the non-sudsy wash water in a more or less homogeneous mass. This is to be contrasted with the situation existing inside of the washer when a pump is used on a drain hose to evacuate the tub. As previously pointed out, this produces a less rapid discharge of wash water from the tub. Suds being squeezed from the cylinder by the tumbling action of the clothes build up on the surface of the wash water between the tub and cylinder on the side of the tub toward which the upper part of the cylinder is rotating. Since the draining is proceeding so slowly that the water level inside of the cylinder is roughly comparable to the level outside of it and inside of the tub, these suds will pile up at this location and never be carried out of the machine. It is this suds and the lint entrained with it that has forced washer manufacturers to recommend .so-called non-sudsy soaps in an attempt to get better lint removal and to prevent damage'to their Washers.

In a mechanism of the present invention, however, rapid flushing and draining of the wash water from the tub will result in not only suds but also wash water being present inside of the cylinderat a level above that of the wash water in the tub.

As the water inside of the cylinder attempts to find the same level as the Wash-water inside of the tub, a plurality of water jets 44 will be formed in alinement with the discharge perforations of the cylinder 12. These jets will tend to break up the suds 42 and will aid in carrying this soap and the lint entrained therewith to drain.

In addition to permitting almost complete removal of suds and lint from the tub and cylinder as above set out, the sudden rush and flush of water from the tub and along the closed drain passageway 16 also results in the carrying of relatively large foreign objects such as pencils, lip stick holders and the like out of the washer and out of the passageway 16. In accomplishing this, the slope of the flo'or of bottom wall 23 is helpful. It is to be n'oted that the necessary seal for the discharge control gate gasket is provided on the bottom side by a downwardly extending step and not by an upwardly extend ing flange. In other words, an inclined, flat floor o'r bottom wall is provided through the drain passage and no impediment to passage of relatively large non-buoyant foreign objects is present throughout the drain passage and discharge tro'ugh which follows it.

While the discharge or drain passageway is disclosed herein to have straight side walls and a flat top Wall, it is to be understood that a discharge channel could be provided with rounded top and side surfaces. The bottom wall is preferably to be maintained as a flat, inclined surface, however.

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic washing machine including a tub, a concentric rotatably mounted, perforated cylinder therein; said tub being provided with a drain opening at the bottom thereof; means for rotating said cylinder; a flushing and draining mechanism open to said drain opening in said tub, said draining mechanism including an outwardly extending, inclined drain passageway having uniformly diverging walls progressing from a first end tof relatively small cross-sectional area open to said drain opening to a second end of relatively greater cross-sectional area at location generally below said first end, and valve means for selectively closing and opening said second end of passageway.

2. The combination as specified in claim 1 wherein said passageway is provided with a flat, inclined floor extending smoothly from position directly under said drain opening to said second end of said passageway, said floor being substantially normal to a vertical plane passing through the longitudinal axis of said passageway.

3. The combination as specified in claim 1 wherein the configuration of said drain passageway is such as to support full pipe flow from said tub when said valve means is opened and until the water level in said tub is below said cylinder.

4. The combination as specified in claim 2 wherein said drain passageway is of configuration to support flow from said tub at a rate of sufficient magnitude such that the water level between said cylinder and said tub will be below the water level inside of said cylinder during flow of Water from said cylinder.

5. The combination as specified in claim 3 wherein said drain passageway is of configuration to cause flow from said tub at a rate of sufficient magnitude such that the water level between said tub and said cylinder will be below the water level inside of said cylinder during flow from said cylinder.

6. A flushing and draining mechanism for a tub having a drain opening at the bottom thereof, said mechanism including an elongated, straight, outwardly extending, slightly downwardly inclined drain passageway having uniformly diverging walls progressing from a first end of relatively small cross-sectional area open to said drain opening to a second end of relatively greater cross-sectional area at location generally somewhat below and substantially horizontally outwardly from said first end, said passageway being provided with a flat, inclined floor extending smoothly from position directly under said drain opening to said second end of said passageway, said second end of said passageway terminating in a single plane at an angle of less than ninety degrees with the plans of said floor to form a smooth continuous plane valve seat completely around said second end of said passageway, and valve means pivotally mounted with respect to said passageway to move from a first position in sealing relation said valve seat to a second position clear of flow of liquid out from said passageway.

7. The combination as specified in claim 6 wherein the portion of said valve seat adjacent said drain passageway floor is contiguous with the termination of said floor at said second end thereof below the plane of said floor thus to provide an unobstructed egress from said passageway along said floor at said second end of said passageway when said valve is in said second position.

8. An automatic washing machine including a tub; a concentric rotatably mounted, perforated cylinder therein; said tub being provided with a drain opening at the bottom thereof; means for rotating said cylinder; at flushing and draining mechanism open to said drain opening in said tub, said drain mechanism including a drain passageway having ever expanding cross sectional area progressing from a first end of relatively small crosssectional area open to said drain opening to a second end of relatively greater cross-sectional area at location generally below said first end, valve means for selectively closing and opening said second end of said passageway, and a discharge chute extending downwardly and outwardly from said second end of said drain passageway, said chute being of greater cross-sectional area at all points than the minimum effective cross-sectional area of said second end of said passageway.

9. The combination as specified in claim 8 wherein said passageway is provided with a flat, inclined floor extending smoothly from position directly under said drain opening to said second end of said passageway, said floor being substantially normal to a vertical plane passing through the longitudinal axis of said passageway, and wherein said discharge chute is similarly provided with a fiat, inclined floor, said chute floor being situated below said passageway floor at said second end of said passageway and extending downwardly and outwardly away therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,397,846 Walker Nov. 22, 1921 2,446,693 Davis Aug. 10, 1948 2,589,540 Couchet Mar. 18, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 77,196 Netherlands Feb. 12, 1955 

